Drug of Choice
by Spy Elf
Summary: CM Punk wants to help Raven. Raven accepts. Slash warning
1. Shot 1

TITLE: Drug of Choice  
AUTHOR: Spy Elf  
E-MAIL: ChibiChyna@aol.com  
RATING: pg-13  
SUMMARY: CM Punk wants to help Raven. Raven accepts.

NOTES: This is NWA/TNA. Raven, CM Punk and Julio have been fighting Shane Douglass and The New Church. They got beat pretty badly July 23. 

DISCLAIMER: Don't own the people or the fued. My only profit is reader response.  
ARCHIVE: Just let me know.  
WARNINGS: Gets slashy. 

            C.M. Punk raced from his hotel room to the elevator. He hit the button and when the doors didn't open immediately, he turned away and went to the door to the stairs. He went up a flight two steps at a time. As he reached the door and went out into the hallway of the above story, the elevator doors opened downstairs.

            Stopping a moment to learn which way the room numbers ran, he soon started off to the right. Punk saw Julio a few doors down, standing outside his hotel room. Julio put an arm on Punk's shoulder to steady him as he caught his breath. "Damn, Punk. Did you even stop to hang up the phone?"

            "Don't remember," he replied. "Doesn't matter. How is he?"

Julio sighed and led the way into his hotel room. He pointed in the direction of the door adjoining his room to Raven's. "He let me in there long enough to help him wash the blood off. Then he threw me out and locked the doors. He's been talking to himself and I know he opened the mini-bar."

"You mean they put him in a room with one?" Punk asked incredulously. "I thought the company sent a restriction on that. He isn't supposed to have any alcohol or drugs."

The dark-headed man snorted. "Looks like they forgot this time. Look Punk, I know how much you hate his drinking and whatever else he has ingested in the past, but help me out here. I've tried everything to get him to let me back in. Maybe you can get through where I failed."

Punk walked to the door, worry in his face. "I don't know if I can do anything. I'm sure he doesn't want to talk to me if he's drinking. He knows I can't stand it." He rapped on the inner door. "Raven dude, let me in." He stopped and listened to the silence. "Unlock the door Raven. I know you are in there. Don't make me ninja kick the door down."

There was a thunk and the door shivered under Punk's fingers. Raven chuckled through the door. "Not a chance kid."

Julio stood beside Punk. "Come on man, let us in."

"Now just why the hell do you guys want in here? Unless you want something to drink, too?"

"Hell no." Punk whispered.

Julio nudged Punk in the ribs. "Hush dude..." His eyes widened as Punk gasped. "Oh man, I am so, so sorry. I totally forgot."

Punk winced and got his breath back. "How do you forget bruised ribs man? Major ouch there." He wrapped his arms around his middle. "I could just shoot Brian Lee."

"The line starts here."

Punk and Julio looked up to see Raven standing in the open doorway. An open bottle of Jack Daniels dangled from his fingers. "Julio, you hit him. Go get some ice." Julio nodded and grabbed the ice bucket on the way out the door. Raven walked back into his room, taking another drink. The older man hadn't even changed out of his clothes from the arena. The kilt and wrestling boots remained, blood still dotting the kilt.

Looking down Punk saw the two empty bottles on the ground and several other opened ones.

"You okay?" Raven asked, mistaking Punk's sigh for one of pain. "Silly me, of course you aren't." He turned to one of his bags. " I bet I have some Tylenol or something."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Punk spoke quietly. "I won't take them."

Raven turned to face him, smirking. " Oh yeah. You're StraightEdge. No unnatural substances for you. You're a good little boy."

"I suppose so. And this good little boy would rather you not drink al that either." Punk frowned.

"Take away one of my chemicals and you shall have to supply another. I'm not in the mood to sleep without something running in my veins." Raven said walking over.

Punk glared at Raven. "You know I don't have any of the kind of chemicals you are after."

"Oh? I think you may have one of the most addictive substances ever." Raven said, suddenly serious. He leaned into Punk, his eyes dropping for a moment to the younger boy's lips. As he spoke, his breath ghosted over the promptly sensitive area. "As a matter of fact, I think one taste could have me addicted for eternity."

Punk's pulse raced and he spoke in a tease. "Not all addictions could be deadly. Some in fact, might be good for you."

Raven's eyes widened and the forgotten bottle dropped to the floor as he took in Punk's acceptance.

Punk smirked and a heartbeat later found his mouth under siege. Raven's lips pressed to his and Raven's tongue eased open his lips. The older man pillaged and plundered Punk's mouth and received the same action in turn. Punk didn't like alcohol, but the taste of whiskey from Raven sent a heady rush through him. He wondered what he tasted like to raven, but as Raven's moan sent tremors through the kiss, he forgot all about thinking.

Moments later Punk gasped and pulled away as movement caused his bruised ribs to reintroduce themselves. He noticed his placement and grinned. He had moved back, now laying across the bed with Raven on hands and knees above him. "You move quick."

"Apparently too quick for those ribs," Raven replied. "Where did Julio go to get ice? Alaska?"

Punk laughed and turned Raven's face to the inner door. It had been shut and the bucket of ice was sitting just to the side.

Raven snickered. "Smart man." He moved to go for the ice, hesitated, and ducked back down to quickly press his lips to Punk again. "Yeah, already a complete addict."

Punk smiled and pushed him in the direction of the ice. "Raven, I'll make you a deal. If you get help and start putting away all the other substances away, you can use this chemical as many times as you want." Punk's body covered itself with goosebumps as cloth-covered ice settled over his ribs.

"You mean that if I quit using everything, I get you?"

Punk closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. He loved Raven, but could not be with someone who was the poster boy for all that he was against. And with such a past of use… "Will it be enough?"

He felt Raven's lips touch his injury with a soft kiss. "You, love, are now my only drug."


	2. Shot 2

A/N: Ya know, this was originally meant to be a one-shot. But the muses have spoken. This won't turn into a series, more like a collection of one-shots when the muses speak. 

Spoilers for the 9/3/2003 show. I am lucky enough to be in Nashville for the live show and have seen the show before it airs. If you are going to watch the PPV, watch it – then read!

For those of you who don't know CM Punk or Julio … allow me to assist: Email me a request for pics at Huzzah13@aol.com and I will send you pics of Julio and CM Punk. Since I can't make a address work on this uploading..::grumble::…

Chapter 2

            Punk threw himself against the cage again and again. He would only get so far to the top before Sinn or Slash would knock him off from inside the cage. He howled with anger as he was thwarted yet again from getting to Raven. Father Mitchell and Shane Douglass were in there and hurting Raven and he couldn't get to him! He turned to watch Julio try to break down the door again. Slash was holding the door against the longhaired man and Sinn was again watching for Punk with glee.

            Something in the ring flashed and for a moment Punk was filled with horror as he thought Mitchell may have brought a knife into the ring. He was halfway up the side of the cage before he and Sinn realized it. Punk hit the ground immediately after Sinn hit him. 

            Julio helped him up and held onto Punk for a moment. "What is that bastard going to do with scissors?" Then they both watched in shock as Mitchell removed a lock of hair from a semi-conscious Raven. "Shit." Julio muttered, then went back to the cage door. Punk lent his strength to Julio's and caused both Slash and Sinn to hold it against him while Mitchell and Douglass caused harm to his Raven.

            A nudge from Julio and Punk looks up to see The Cowboy James Storm drop in on the other side of the cage. With Sinn and Slash occupied by them and Mitchell and Douglass focused on Raven, it was easy for Cowboy to climb up the other side of the cage and drop in while his partner, Wildcat Chris Harris watched from outside. Punk nearly lost his footing as the New Church and Douglass pushed him and Julio aside to get out of the door. As soon as they were past, he climbed in; intent on getting to Raven who lay slumped beside the cage wall.

            Punk put his hand on Raven's leg as he bent in to talk to him and moved immediately at the older man's wince. "Damn, what did they do?"

            Raven replied with a grunt. "To my leg? Nothing. AJ did that during the match. But those bastards, I'm going to kill."

            Punk growled. "The line starts here."

            Raven grinned as his words came back to him. CM Punk getting all protective was kind of hot, he thought. Raven watched the blonde pace the ring and yell at the New Church just outside the ring. He leaned into Julio, "I've never been more pleased to be injured."

            Julio snickered. "I'm sure. And in a few hours when it still hurts to breathe, I'll be sure to remind you that you said so. You won the match by DQ, by the way."

            "Like that really helps me win the title." Raven responded. "Little jackass Styles. And Russo too, that bastard. Then he remembered watching Julio and Punk walk off with Russo on their shoulders. "What exactly did you two do to Russo?"

            Julio smiled down at his friend. "We took him to the back and, uh, kept him occupied."

            "Why am I disinclined to believe that is as innocent as it sounds?"

            "Because to keep him occupied, Punk had to sit on him and sing the Barney theme song." Julio laughed.

            Raven shuddered. "He knows those words? How … scary."

            "Yeah well, it worked until we saw the New Church, took off after them, left Russo, then found out that they had doubled back and were already in the ring." Julio said with a touch of guilt.

            "Oh please, come back to the ring and make my day better!" Raven and Julio looked at the blonde, as he was leaning out of the cage door, yelling at the New Church and assembled heels. Punk was asking for a fight, a need for revenge becoming a part of him.

            Raven looked up at Julio, "You might want to go pull him back before they take him up on his offer. I don't think the three of us can hold the," he paused to count, "seven, I think, of them back."

            "Well we don't need to worry, there is more than three of us." His friend responded. Raven took a look around and was pleased to find a milling of faces standing around. "Well how nice."

***~~~***

            "And I'll be damned if you will go out there by yourself again. I don't care if they ban me from ringside, I'll buy a damned ticket and sit in the crowd!"

            Raven listened to his love rant in their hotel room. Julio sat beside the bed in the room's only chair and Raven was stretched out across the bed using Punk's legs as a pillow. As much as he hated looking up at the others, this was the only way he could be comfortable. Since Punk didn't approve of the drugs and other miscellaneous things that could help, Raven didn't partake of them. But, man, it hurt.

            "Trust me," Julio said to Punk, "You don't want to truly catch the attention of the New Church. It's not a pretty place to be." He couldn't quite conceal his shudder. Raven shied away from the mental image the confession brought to mind. Julio bound and gagged with a torch passed in front of him did not for good dreams make.

            Raven reached out and casually touched Julio's leg. He knew that Julio still had nightmares about fire now. And as the default leader, he would do all he could to make the New Church pay for their mistake. As he thought about protecting Julio, he also considered protecting his new love. "Shit!" His eyes flew open and he sat up against the pain.

            "What?" Punk moved so that his body would still support Raven's injured one. Raven closed his eyes against the sudden mist in them. He still wasn't used to this kind of support from others. And what it leads to could be dangerous.

            Raven turned to look at Punk. "We can't tell anyone about us." The hurt look in Punk's eyes almost killed him and Julio's stuttered shock hurt nearly as much. "No, look what The New Church did to Julio for associating with me. If they knew about you…?" He stopped and looked away. "What if I can't always get there in time?"

            Julio grabbed both their arms. "That is what I am here for." He looked at Punk, who nodded at him, then looked back to Raven. "Punk and me talked while you were doing that interview. You don't always need to think you have to save us Raven. We can save you too."

            Raven looked on in shock. This … he hadn't expected this. This loyalty was uncommon for people who joined his side. Most made no promise to stay on his side. Julio seemed to smile at his reaction, and then the younger man walked into his room and shut the connecting doors. Raven was still looking at the door when he was suddenly on his back as his lover tried to finish a map of Raven's mouth with his tongue. Punk pulled away and stretched his body across Raven's, using his chest as a pillow. "I promise not to let anyone know we are together if it will make you happy, but I still want to scream it from the rooftop or in front of all the fans. We had it wrong in the first place. You are the drug; I am the addicted."

A/N: Wondering if the next part of these should make the boys a threesome of leave them as is. Let me know what you think.


	3. Shot 3

Chapter 3

A/N: These aren't meant to become a story ya know, its just kind of happening… And for those of you who voted for the threesome: I just happen to agree.

The show: On 9/17/02, for those of you who didn't see it, I was there, live. And nearly threw a Christian (hissy) fit. Raven lost by way of serious cheating … and thus got his head shaved. ::sob::

PS this isn't beta'd. My beta went to sleep before I did.

            Punk and Julio chased Slash and Sinn out of the ring, beating them as they passed through the crowd. Punk allowed himself a little smile as he heard a body hit the mat and the crowd cheer. Since they were removing the interference, Raven should have no trouble taking Douglass. Raven had a lot of encouragement to win. Not just because he liked his hair, but also because Punk liked it. Watching Sinn run off, Punk stayed behind him, remembering last night and just how much and how many times he had enjoyed running his hands through that hair.

            Sinn moved off through a door in the back. Punk followed him in, seeing Julio and Slash just ahead in the room. And just as he passed through he heard Julio scream, "Punk, no!" but it was too late. He heard Father Mitchell laugh and the door slammed behind him and he turned to see Sinn and Slash run out a side door, both ending in the clicks of locks. "Shit!" he cried, knowing that things were about to go bad.

            "Watch your leader now boys!" Came Mitchell's sarcasm from outside.

            Julio grabbed Punk's arm and led him to where a TV was playing the live feed from the arena. "No." Punk moaned as he saw the match continuing. In desperation, he threw himself against both sets of doors, neither budging. Probably locked and blocked at this point. He walked back over to where Julio stood, never once moving from the screen

            "I never should have left the ring." Julio muttered. "This is going to go very bad."

            Punk grabbed his hand, to both give and take comfort. "Well how were we to know?"

            "We should have been smarter. We should have…" Julio stopped as they saw Raven come seconds away from winning, and the lights go out. "Fuck!"

            Punk whimpered, and began his mantra, "No, no, no, no, no, no."

            They watched, gripping each other's hand tightly as the mystery man, set Raven up, dropped him, and knocked him out. Punk howled with injustice as Douglass got the pinfall. But both of them stood in distress as the man pulled his mask off and revealed Vampiro.

            The minutes passed in silence between the two men. The TV had no sound on its feed and the sounds from the arena were muffled. But both men could easily image the illustrations Father Mitchell was making with his voice. Issues of trust were simple to mess with when discussing Raven. Punk felt his heart break, as the hair was cut and Raven looked so lost. The last image before the production guys cut the feed was of Raven burying his head in his hands. Punk slid to the floor, tears filling his eyes.

            Julio had taken to walking around and throwing things he found in the room against the door. A chair went flying, then a piece of a table, then a 2 by 4. I started paying attention to him when he himself went flying to collide with the door. "Julio? What the…?" Punk stopped when his friend turned around. The tears Julio was shedding was enough to worry Punk, but the anger and the conviction with which he said, "That son of a bitch has signed his death warrant," made Punk wonder just how much his friend felt for Raven too.

            Punk, spoke without thinking, "Holy shit, you're in love with him too."

            Julio's eyes widened. "What? I … uh. Punk? Let's just get out of here and too him first okay? We can discuss this insane idea of yours later."

            "Ok." Punk started banging his fists on the door. Ok, Julio, we will get out of here, he thought, and we will talk too.

            Only thirty minutes later one of the security guys heard them and released them. Punk looked at the metal bracings the New Church had placed on the doors and sighed. Jerks. He stopped the security guard, Chris, before he could get away. "Where's Raven?"

            Chris hesitated. "He's gone."

            "Gone?" Julio choked.

            Chris took a step back at the look in their faces. "Yeah, he stayed long enough to get someone to actually finish shaving his head and he left. Went back to the hotel I think he said."

            "Thank god we took two rentals," Punk sighed. "Now lets get the hell outta here."

            At the hotel, they weren't surprised to find the hotel room locked against them. Sure they could get into Julio's room but Punk's and Raven's was locked up tight. With Raven inside.

            "Raven," Punk knocked on the door, "Let me in."

            All he received was silence.

            Julio pounded on the door. "Raven, we've gone through this before. At least let Punk in. We're kinda worried." He stared at Punk, "Why the hell don't you have the key?"

            "What and lose it?"

            "Asshole."

            "Hey you love me and you know it."

            "Yeah, yeah." Julio went back to talking to the door. "Raven please?"

            "What do you want?" Ah, finally! He talks.

            "We want in there, Raven. We want to talk to you." Julio says for the both of them.

            The door opens a bit and, just as Punk begins to smile, his bag is tossed out into Julio. "Too bad."

            Punk freezes. Raven just tossed his things out of their room. Where they stay. He starts to shake.

            Fortunately, Julio can move fast. He drops the bag and gets a shoulder and a leg in the door crack before Raven can fully close it. "Hell no, you ain't fucking tossing him outta here. And you will listen damnit."

            Raven backed away from the door and watched them come in. "I want both of you gone. Get out. Find somewhere else to be. Find someone else to follow." He ran a hand over his shorn head. "I'm no leader. I can't be trusted. Now get out."

            Punk stood in shock. He wanted to touch Raven. So badly. But Raven was pulling away from even the thought. God, that hurt.

            "No, Raven you can be trusted. It's me who's the fuck up." Julio responded. "Just don't blame Punk. It was my fault. I should have made sure one of us stayed behind."

            Raven stood very still, like moving would break him. "Stayed behind huh? Well you left, and you sure as hell didn't come back!" he finished with a roar. "What me losing again made you see what a lost cause I was. Well fuck you Julio, and you too Punk. I don't need either of you."

            With tears again falling from his eyes, Punk dropped his jaw. Raven couldn't be saying this. Not Raven. Not the man that he had to chase out of the bathroom this morning just so he could actually take a shower without both of them being late. The one who was laughing at Julio at breakfast. The one who said … he loved him. No, nonononono. He didn't realize when the word had become vocal, but it had. Raven and Julio were both looking at him; he saw Julio's doubt and anger and anger, pain and betrayal from Raven. "No, we didn't just leave you. We didn't stay away because you lost. We were away because The New Church locked us up again. They tortured us Raven." He saw the flinch in Raven's eyes and pressed on. "Yeah, tortured us. Know how? They locked us in a room and left us with a production TV! We could see everything that happened to you, couldn't hear it and couldn't do a damned thing! And if you think I would walk out on you that easy, well then fuck you too!" Punk turned to walk out. Oh it hurt. And he had to get out before he said something else stupid.

            Julio reached out and grabbed Punk's arm. Raven turned away from them and Punk still looked at the door, his escape route. "Punk's right Raven. We trust you. You being bald don't matter. It will grow back, big deal. We don't care if you lose. Hell, you can lose all you want, it's that you keep going back for more. That is why we follow you. You may lose but you never admit defeat. Hey I'll admit we all kinda screwed up tonight. But I promise to have Vampiro begging for mercy when I get my hands on him. His bullshit ends now. I don't want you to face any of those psychos alone. You can say you don't need us, but Punk loves you man."

            Raven never turned back but spoke softly. "And what about you Julio? You love me too?"

            Remembering his earlier epiphany, Punk looked at Julio's reaction. Julio glanced in his direction before staring at the floor. "Yes."

            Raven can be a silent little shit when he wants to. And apparently he wanted to. Punk watched him walk right up to Julio before the younger man noticed he was there. "I'm glad." Raven said, "I can't possibly excuse what I said and how I behaved. I've left partners and been left, but none of them hurt as bad as the thought of you two leaving me."

            Julio looked up at him. "Look Raven, that will never- ." Julio was cut short by Raven's lips pressed against his. His eyes closed, and he kissed back.

            Punk smirked. Yeah, he had been on the receiving end of a 'shut up' kiss from Raven before. And ya know, Raven kissing another guy didn't bother him so much. No. Especially not when it was Julio. Cause damn, Julio was hot. Punk was caught up in the sight so much that he failed to notice Raven's arm reaching for him, and gasped as he was pulled into a tight grip by Raven and quickly on the end of Raven's kiss. One that had the older man's tongue asking for forgiveness over what he said. Punk's mouth was happy to accept his apology and give forgiveness.

            Raven laughed as they released each other to breathe. "One of you go find me some hats to wear for now and the other some paper. We have to plot how to get our revenge." Regardless of what he said, Raven didn't release the two. "Now I have my Jim Bean," he nuzzled Punk, "and my Jack Daniel's both back," he finished, pulling Julio closer.

A/N: Sleeeeep. Sleep is good. Nitey-nite now.


	4. Shot 4

TITLE: Drug of Choice  
AUTHOR: Spy Elf  
E-MAIL: ChibiChyna@aol.com  
RATING: pg-13  
SUMMARY: CM Punk wants to help Raven. Raven accepts.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own the people or the fued. My only profit is reader response.  
  


Chapter 4

A/N: Uh, my angsty!musi are demanding time now. And as much as I love a happy ending, this shot doesn't really have one. Fair warning. And Sandman is here. Yep, who else could you find in a bar? This shot is a little shorter than the rest. Musi in pain, must go enjoy ice cream.

The show: On 9/24/03, for those of you who didn't see it: Raven, Punk and Julio challenged The New Church to a dog collar match. Much fun. Julio got the pin. Yay! They won. But were soon all attacked and the three of them hung from the second story of the building by the New Church with the dog collar chains. It was unfun. Yep, hung Punk and Julio right in front of Raven. Can you say angst?

                Punk coughed again and leaned against the bathroom wall. "Why did we let him drive the car and have us take a cab to the hotel again? I think the lack of oxygen to my brain made me stop thinking."

                "Not much of a change then." Julio smirked as he handed Punk a cloth to wash the blood off his face with. "He needed to blow off some steam."

                "I could think of some other things that would…"

                "Hey," Julio cut him off. "You can keep those pervy comments to yourself. Do you always have your mind in the gutter?"

                Punk smiled and tossed the cloth back. "Hey you didn't seem to mind last night when I was sharing all those pervy comments. As a matter of fact, I think you wanted more."

                "Yeah, well." Julio flushed. "Now isn't the time. Raven was pissed and wanted us to leave in case he ran into The New Church or Douglass and something happened. I'm confident that he could take all of them at this point. He was so pissed."

                "But I don't like him being off alone like this." Punk frowned. "I mean, something could happen to him. And after looking around and realizing that all of us were hanging," Punk trailed off. "I just want everyone close to me for a bit ok? Is that such a crime?"

                Julio sat beside Punk in the floor and pulled the blond into his embrace. "No. It isn't. I'd really like it if we were all together too. But that isn't the way he is. So we will sit here and hold each other until Raven comes back."

***~~~***

                "Well well, look what is back in the scene." 

                Raven's head snapped around as Sandman slid onto the bar stool next to him. "Now is _not_ the time." He growled at his newfound companion. Then coughed.

                "Throat trouble?" Sandman smiled. "Getting strung up will do that to you."

                "Shut up or die." Raven glared and motioned to the bartender for another shot, another drink, anything the man brought so long as it was alcohol. So long as it erased the images of Julio and Punk struggling at the end of those chains…. He winced and downed the shot and pulled a beer closer. A chaser to help the pure shot burn all the way down.

                Sandman leaned closer. "Or how about option C. I buy you another round and you tell me all about it."

                "Tell you what?" was the snarling reply.

                Sandman handed Raven another bottle. "Well you have been scarce around the bar scene for a while now. Figured you might be trying to quit again. When will you ever learn? That little bratty StraightEdge partner, "

                Raven reached for Sandman's shoulder and missed, pulled back and succeeded in yanking him forward. "Don't you call him a brat, you asshole. Punk is worth ten of guys like us."

                "So that's why you're drinking." Sandman nods and ignores Raven's clenched fist in his shirt. "You want him."

                "What?" Raven responded, shocked. He released his grip on the other man. "That isn't why I'm here."

                "So," Sandman smiled. "You aren't denying the accusation?"

                Raven glared.

                Sandman laughed. "In love with your partner. Fucking him most likely. And probably Julio as well. Well you can't be in a fight with them. You seemed pretty tight tonight, fighting the New Church together. Until you got strung up that is. That must be why you are drinking huh? Hurt much?" Sandman started as pain filled Raven's glare. "Holy shit. That is the reason." He leaned back and pushed another bottle towards Raven. "You love the both of them and they got hurt tonight."

                Raven dropped his head to the table, but kept a tight grip on his bottle. "My how perceptive. Your amazing psychic powers mystify me once again. Tell me, oh great seer, just what the hell else I should be doing if I can't get the image of them swinging out of my mind." He looked up and turned away from Sandman, taking another drink.

                "Oh man. I had no idea." Sandman spoke softly. "I know we have had our problems in the past, but I'm happy you found someone, someones as the case may be. But don't let things like this get you down man. Julio and Punk know what they are getting into."

                Raven laughed bitterly. "What like nearly getting killed? Sure, that seems like something one has to know before being involved with me. It is now." He snickered, the drink obviously getting to him.

                Sandman glanced at him with concern. "Raven how long have you been here?"

                "Sent the kiddies home and came right over after the show." He took another drink. "I can still see it…" he shuddered and reached for Sandman's nearly full bottle.

                The clock on the wall read one a.m. That meant that Raven had been there for about three hours. And Sandman could see that three hours of alcohol could affect Raven to this point. But, Sandman thought to himself. He was here now. He wouldn't let Raven leave under his own powers. But for a while, he could let him drink. And forget.

                Within two more hours Raven was babbling. At first it was about how Punk and Julio were just casualties in the hate Mitchell and Douglass had for himself. That Raven didn't like having casualties. Then he moved on to describing how he was going to take out the New Church all by himself and beat Vampiro till he couldn't stand anymore. After a few more he was telling Sandman all about how vain Julio could be and that Punk could pout like a four-year-old. Then he passed out.

                "Finally." Sandman sighed. He then grabbed his wallet and picked Raven's, paying for the massive amount of alcohol taken to purge the image, anger, and fear from Raven. "You are going to have one hell of a hangover come tomorrow. I'd hate to be you." He smiled. "I know you are going to hate me for this when you wake up, but it is for your own good." Sandman grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number he found in Raven's wallet.

***~~~***

                "He isn't coming back is he?" Punk asked from the circle of Julio's arms. At four in the morning they had lain in the bed, not sleeping. Now an hour later, Punk voiced his fear.

                And Julio could no longer lie and make things better. "I don't know Punk." He pulled Punk closer, holding and being held. "But we won't lose this easy. He has to be back on Wednesday and we will be right there. He can't get rid of us."

                Punk nodded. "I agree. I can get hung every night so long as it means I've stopped them from focusing all on him. I can take whatever those bastards dish out."

                "Right." Julio agreed.

                They stayed in silence for a few more moments only to have it broken by Julio's cell phone ringing. They hesitated, and then scrambled to reach it. "Raven?" Julio answered it. He frowned as Punk tried to hear the other speaker to no avail. "Then where is he?" Julio asked and then he closed his eyes and his face fell. "Thanks. We will be right there." He hung up.

                Punk pounced at the silence. "Who was that? It is about Raven? Where is he? Is he ok?"

                Julio sat down and reached for his shoes. "That was Sandman. We have to go get Raven."

                Punk started to pull on his shirt. "Why? Where is he?" The younger boy was beginning to shake with fear and worry.

                "He's at a bar a few minutes away from here." Julio stood, face marked with sorrow. "And he's passed out fucking drunk."


	5. Shot 5

Chapter 5

A/N: Raven now has an official Web site: www.theraveneffect.com. And I don't know anything about their families.

The show: On 9/29/03, Raven finally got Mitchell. Tied a chain around his neck and beat the crap out of the others. He was however alone. No CM Punk, no Julio. And I was lucky my companion for the night had a marker. Raven said, "You have hung me. You've shaved my head. You're looking at a man that has nothing left to lose."

Disclaimer (haven't done this in a while): Don't own the people or the fued. My only profit is reader response. Don't even know the people, well, I did meet them once, but it was the Anniversary Show and I saw several people.

Ok, done with that.

            Raven woke up to the most pounding headache he'd had since, well since the last time he got hung over. And having Julio yell into the phone while in the same vicinity didn't help matters either. Raven refused to open his eyes, feeling the sunlight on his face, and chose instead to listen to the younger man.

            "Fine, but I won't be your damned counselor! I have shit of my own to deal with. No! Go the fuck home! I'll handle it!" Julio threw his cell phone across the room where it bounced on the carpet. He frowned, as the action wasn't enough to suit his mood.

"Who was that you were so kindly talking to?" Raven's voice was rough with sleep.

Julio walked over to him and handed him a glass of water that was sitting on the bedside table. "That was Punk."

Raven opened his eyes and groaned as the sunlight hit. As hangovers went, this one was more of an annoyance than pain, he wasn't sick. "Why were you yelling at him? Where is he?"

"Funny you should say that." Julio gave a mirthless laugh. "He said the same thing this morning. After hours of not knowing where you were. We were both so worried. Punk looked at me, almost scared when Sandman called me this morning. 'Where he is?' Punk asked. And I had to tell him. You were at a bar and you were drunk as hell." Julio spoke the words like daggers and continued when Raven flinched. "So, hurting and broken-hearted, we went to get you. Picked you up and brought you back to the hotel. Then he told me he was going for a walk. That was three hours ago. He just called to say he was at the airport and he was going home."

Raven went weak at the words and the tone Julio used. The glass fell from his nerveless fingers, spilling water as it hit the floor. Neither man moved. Finally Raven found his voice. "So when are you leaving?"

"What?" Julio blinked, startled from the silence. "Where are we going? Did I miss something?"

Determined not to look the other man in the eyes, Raven got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. "I figured you were the next to leave. Punk is already gone. Were you just waiting around to tell me I fucked up and that is why you were leaving? You didn't have too. It's happened a few times already. I would have understood again." He stood at the sink and splashed cold water into his face. "Hell, this time I don't even blame you. I broke some things this time I shouldn't have. Made some promises I shouldn't have either. I should have known myself better than to ever let the two of you trust me this much. First I let Douglass and the New Church hurt you, then I go and do it myself."

Julio stood at the bathroom door, still angry but heart wrenching at Raven's self-debasement. "Why did you go off and get drunk? Old habit die hard?"

The older man pushed past him, going to his bags for a chance of clothes. "Old habits? Maybe." Raven began to change out of yesterday's clothes. They still smelled of beer. He grimaced. "Memories though. Only beer seems to soften them."

"Memories? Memories of what?" Julio hounded him.

Raven glared. "The ones of you and Punk hanging from chains at the show seems to be most prominent in my mind. The one that proves that the New Church will kill the two people I love because they are pissed at me!"

"So going off and getting drunk was the answer to that? Shit. Did it ever occur to you that we might need you with us after that? Punk was still freaked out that it happened and I was none too calm myself. But we were together. It would have been nice if you were there. But no. You had to go off, break our trust by drinking to forget. And I say our trust because Punk doesn't want you to drink. He trusted you not too, therefore I trusted you not to hurt him. And you did." Julio grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. "You know what, I am leaving. I'm just heading out for a bit to cool down. Before I say something I will regret." He stopped at the door and looked back at Raven who was standing still, clean shirt in his hand. " Punk and I were proud to fight next to you, even if it meant getting hung. This isn't me saying I'm leaving for good Raven. I will be back, Punk will be back, but you hurt us man. And we have to get over it first." Julio walked out the door, leaving all his things in the room with Raven.

It may not have been the best of ideas for Julio to walk out like that, still angry. But Raven understood. If Julio and Punk never came back, he would still understand. But Mitchell and Douglass were going to pay for making him lose the best things he had in life. Oh how they were going to pay.

***~~~***

*next Wed.*

Julio met Punk at the back doors of the arena after the show had started. Punk walked right into his waiting arms for a long hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Julio replied, accenting his words with a kiss. "How is the family?"

Punk sighed. "Fine, annoying as ever. And your sister?"

"She has a two-year-old. I might go back and visit in ten years." Julio laughed. "Cute kid if you take away the sugar intake."

"I wonder if Raven's been brooding much?" Punk walked to a monitor of the show as The New Church was fighting. He turned to see Julio's eye roll. "Right. Look who I am talking about. Raven not brooding would be more of a shock. I feel bad now, about the both of us going away."

The dark-headed man grabbed his hand. "Hey, don't say that. Hanging around when we weren't so ready to forgive would have only hurt each of us more. We would have said things,"

"What the hell?" Punk cut him off and pulled him towards the screen. "That's Raven attacking Mitchell!"

Both of them headed for the ring, preparing to get involved, when they heard Raven on the mic. "You've shaved my head. You're hung me. You are looking at a man who has nothing left to lose." They stopped in their tracks; horrified to realize Raven may indeed think both of them had ended their relationship. Did that last line mean them? Raven spoke more on how much he intends on destroying Mitchell and the others, but Punk and Julio focused on that phrase. Those three damning sentences.

They were waiting in the wings as he walked back, uninjured and kinda pleased with himself. He stopped upon seeing them. "Punk? Julio? You came back?"

"Of course we did." Punk said as he threw his arms around Raven.

Julio kissed him and took his hand. "I told you we would."

Raven suddenly gripped the two of them like he was afraid they would walk away again. "I'm sorry. Those two words don't impress how sorry I am, but I don't say then often anyway. I haven't drunk anything since you have been gone. Although I admit I've wanted too. But what I have wanted more is for the two of you to be there. I can't guarantee I'll never drank again, but," he paused and looked down, "I'd like it if you two were there with me when I felt the need. So I never have to drink because I'm alone."

Punk moved Raven's face so he could look him in the eye. "That's all I can ask for. And all I will. But remember, I will always come back."

Julio simply nods his agreement and Raven smiles at both of them. Then movement behind him causes him to frown. "Um, guys, can we take this up later? Cause I see Sinn and well, I'd really rather not be around when the New Church regroups after that little attack in the ring just now?"

Pulling the keys out of this pocket, Julio grins. "Last one to the car buys dinner."


	6. Shot 6

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the disappearance guys. I finally finished the Alabama Renaissance Festival so I'm back to writing. I've been considering a slash fic starring Cowboy James Storm and Wildcat Chris Harris a.k.a. America's Most Wanted. Let me know what you think.

The show: The past weeks involved Raven kicking ass in singles competition and telling Julio and CM Punk he didn't need their help. Which he does, the silly boy. Punk and Julio ignore that of course and later get yelled at for saving Raven from massive attacks. So I am addressing that issue now. And having fun.

"Would you two just listen for a change?" Raven yelled, walking out of the trainer's office where the cut on his head had been tended. "If I say stay away, I mean it!"

Punk hung his head. "I said I was sorry Raven. What more do you want?"

"Listening to me would be good." Raven didn't look at him, knowing his resolve would break if he saw the face that went with that plea.

"But he was going to throw a fireball at you." Punk defended himself.

Raven growled, "Then if I couldn't get out of his way on my own, I deserved it."

Julio paled and shot a look at Raven, who guiltily looked in his direction. Both his lovers were quite aware of Julio's fire phobia. After Father Mitchell tried to set him on fire with a torch once, well, things just weren't the same. Julio feared those fireballs Father Mitchell used like nothing else. He could hold up just fine under the reminder of being hung with the dog chains, but a mention of fire and the memory came back full force.

"Sorry. Julio." Raven muttered.

"I just didn't want you to get hurt Raven. There's like four of them. Five including Douglass." Punk pleaded.

Raven shook his head. "Shane Douglass is no longer a threat. Mitchell isn't using him anymore."

"Fine." Punk said, frustrated. "If I can't get forgiveness, maybe I can get respect. If you don't believe I can help you, I'll prove it. Where is Erik Watts? I'm going to go get me a match next week against Sinn." Punk started to walk off.

"No!" Raven bounded over and grabbed Punk's arm. "You will not ask for a singles match with them. Or any match with them."

"Then just what the hell am I supposed to do?" Punk cried out. "I can't help you in your matches, even when it is only to save you from sneak attacks, I can't take them out on my own, and I don't even think you want me and Julio to tag against them. I am not here to sit in the damn truck while you go fight!"*

Julio's lip twitched. "Ok, that is enough." He grabbed Raven and Punk and pulled them both into a nearby empty storage room. It was one they frequented at the building as their room. "Both of you have to stop airing the shit in the damn hallway. Anyone could hear you two." Julio looked at the both of them. In an effort to not meet each other's eyes, Punk stared at the ceiling and Raven at the ground. "I'm tried of this fight. You two have been on this kick for some time now. It kills me to think that the only time you work together is when I am having a nightmare. All this is doing is making us all miserable." He stopped and waited till they both looked at him. "This is going to stop. Now Raven, why do you not want our help?"

Raven grunted. " I told you. This is my fight. These things are in my past and I have to deal with them."

"Bullshit." Julio said. "Tell me again. And don't lie."

Raven froze for a moment, and then sighed in defeat. "Look, it is my fight and the fact that the two people I love are getting hurt for it, only adds to the pain. I don't want you to fight them and I don't want you to help me because I want them to forget you. I don't want them to remember you. Cause if they remember you, they will only hurt you. I'd rather the two of you be pissed at me than injured because of me." He shrugged. "Besides, I've worked by myself for a long time. I'm afraid I don't know how to handle having back up. And if I get used to it, what happens if I'm fighting alone again."

"You won't be." Julio said rather nonchalantly. "Now, Punk. Why is helping Raven this important?"

"Simple," Punk snorted, "I love the fool."

Raven grinned and met Punk's eyes for the first time since he started yelling. "Is that so?"

"Very so." Punk smiled. "And I just want to keep him from being hurt. You know, kind of like he wants to keep us from getting hurt." Punk turned to look at Julio and his smile wavered. "I don't know about you, Julio, but I'm tired of being treated like my love isn't equal to his."

Julio grabbed the blonde and gave him a small hug, as Raven looked on with shock. "I do agree Punk. Sometimes the protector needs to be the protected."

"I never meant for you to feel that way," Raven said in a whisper.

"I know. And that is why we keep helping you." Julio grabbed his hand and pulled the older man into a tight, three-way hug. "You don't want us to get hurt as much as we don't want you to get hurt. So I have a plan." Julio took a step back and looked at them with a smirk.

"Whatcha thinking, Brain?" Punk grinned.

Julio rolled his eyes. "Thanks ever so much for identifying yourself, Pinky.**" He waited as Punk looked affronted and Raven started laughing. "The plan is this. Punk and myself keep running out to help you, and you keep yelling at us." He held up his hand as both men looked to argue his idea. "Listen, this way Raven won't get hurt and The New Church will think Raven's already pissed at us and won't bother. Why take away the people he is trying to get rid of?"

"And if it doesn't work?" Raven questioned. "If they still go after you two?"

"Then we will face them together." Punk smiled, lacing his fingers through Raven's.

The older man sighed. "I'm not going to win this argument am I?"

"Nope."

"Never."

***~~~***

"Take that you stupid ninja!" Punk screamed.

Julio sighed and moved to the other side of the couch. Reading while sitting next to a video game playing CM Punk wasn't the best idea he ever had. He started to read his book on child psychology again. 

"Damnit!" Raven yelled from the kitchen.

Julio closed the book preparing for the rant.

"Stupid fucking computers!" Raven walked into the room. "How is it that I can save all the music and games I want, but I try to save one damned document and the whole thing crashes? I hate technology." He huffed and sat down between Punk and Julio.

Punk paused his game. "Hey Raven?"

"Yeah." Raven glared into the distance.

The younger man handed the game controller to him. "Do you want to take it out on the stupid ninja?"

Raven paused for a minute, then grabbed the controller. "Yeah I think I do." He started playing the game as Punk twisted in the seat, maneuvering so his head was in Raven's lap and his feet thrown over the side of the couch. Raven was yelling at the game soon and Punk was adding his encouragement.

Julio picked up his book again. Yeah, child psychology. His first book in and it was already working.

A/N: * is reference to _The Sentinel_. Jim always told Blair to sit in the truck when there was trouble. Not that Blair ever listened…

** who doesn't love _Pinky and the Brain_?


	7. Shot 7

Chapter 7

A/N: Wow. You guys are making me a very happy writer. You keep sticking with me. I say thanks to you all. Now for the bad news: my computer is being a massive pain. Thus things will be a tidge late as I have to write this out in a notebook, hopefully then type it on my pc or send it to a friend to type for me. Good news: it's going to be fixed. Also, I have a permanent Beta for my wrestling slash: Dora. Love her for she fixes this and takes it from crap to goodness.

The show: Raven beat the crap out of Father James Mitchell in a last man standing match. Left him a bloody mess. It was great. However Raven then disbanded The Gathering. I love www.theraveneffect.com for putting up his speeches. He told them thanks but they were free now. He needed to go his own way. CM Punk's response was to grab the mic and beg Raven not to do this. It was heart wrenching. Julio was confused and Raven walked away, without turning around once, and Punk just sat right down in the middle of the ring like the world was crumbling. ::whimper:: But I have 'Happy Ending' syndrome and I gave Raven a reason. Here ya go:

"He can't do this Julio!" CM Punk threw another punch at the wall in the hallway. "He was just fine this morning. In fact, everything was fine for a while. He can't have been that happy and laid back if he was planning on ending this. He couldn't be!"

Julio sighed. "I don't know Punk." It had become the only thing he could say. Punk asked question after question and raged then crumbled in this cycle that began once they left the ring. Julio still didn't have an answer. But Punk didn't seem to be looking for one from him. But some sort of response from Raven would be nice. But there was none. There was no Raven. His bags were gone from the storage room they considered theirs. Nothing at all to know why they had failed. Julio glanced at Punk and saw a single tear track. Ok, Julio huffed, enough of this crap! Raven said he didn't need them anymore, but was quite needy this morning if Julio remembered correctly and since he had been part of that body pile, he did, and now Punk was crying. This was not the best of situations and Julio was not equipped to deal with this in the middle of the arena with everyone around. He grabbed the blonde's hand and drug him off to their room, grabbed their bags and walked out the back door.

"Um, Julio?" Punk sniffed and wiped his free hand across his eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Outside Punk. Away from everybody else. And we will stay around cause Raven has to leave and some point and damnit he will talk to us!"

"What if he doesn't?" Punk whispered.

Julio stopped and looked into Punk's eyes. "He has too. I can't deal with not knowing why he rejected us. We've proven it to him time and time again how much we love him and if this is just another shot at trying to save us so help me I'll hurt him myself."

Punk bit his lip. "Do you think that's why? It's another misguided attempt to protect us? Or maybe he's jut tired of us. He doesn't care anymore." Punk's face fell.

Julio dropped his bags. "Shit Punk. If he doesn't love the two of us then he's been a damn good liar for the past few weeks. He seemed almost amazed by the fact that he could tell us he loved us, did it damn near all the time. And he didn't crawl into the bed with us with anything but love. Trust me, I've been in the bed with someone before where there was no love involved and it was never like that between any of us." He wiped at Punk's tears. "And if he is a fuck up like that, please never forget that I do love you."

"I love you too Julio." With a sudden dart Punk was in Julio's arms, trying to reaffirm his shaking heart with Julio's lips. This kiss was a needy one and each of them still felt the missing presence of their third regardless of how angry they were at him currently.

Reluctantly, Julio moved back. "Come on. If we sit on those steps adjacent to the building we can see Raven's car and not many will see us unless they look up."

Punk nodded and grabbed his things. "Lets go."

They climbed the steps halfway and Julio put the bags behind them on the next step. He leaned back into them and Punk sat just below him cradled into his body. CM Punk pulled out his headphones and leaned back, closing his eyes and pulling Julio's arms around him tighter. He was feeling a little off balance and needed Julio's help in holding it together. The song coming through the headset made him laugh bitterly. He opened his eyes and saw Julio looking at him curiously. He began to sing along, "…Would you find it in your heart, to make this go away, and let me rest in pieces…' Punk smiled sadly. "Sort of ironic when music matches life." He put the headphones back in his bag. "Screw music anyway."

"So what to you think we should do to Raven when he finally comes outside?" Julio questioned, trying to take the sorrow from Punk's eyes. "Should we bash him over the head with a club like cavemen and drag him to the car or throw rocks at him?"

Punk mused for a moment. "How about we swoop down like badass superheroes and make the villain confess his dastardly deeds with our terrifying glares?"

Julio laughed. "I hate to tell you this love, but terrifying glares aren't exactly something that would make Raven confess. He'd just give one back to us."

"Okay, true." Punk snickered. "What if you just sighed heavily and I gave him the puppy dog look?"

The dark-headed man pulled his companion into a tight hug. "Those are the looks that get us tackled into the mattress, if I recall correctly."

Punk sighed. "Well, I was kinda hoping it would jog his memory. Apparently he took a massive blow to the brain in that match with Mitchell." Punk smirked. "Die Mitchell Die. That reminds me, the paint didn't stay on very long did it?"

"No, longer on Raven than me, but I'm not used to having any. You got a little carried away with the finger-paints this time." Julio sighed,

"Yeah, but Sting's paint stays on so long. I wonder what he uses?" Punk sat silently for a few minutes, allowing Julio a chance to not think at all. "Hey, Julio?" He sat up a bit later. "There's Raven."

Julio moved quickly and pulled Punk up with him. "Lets go talk to him." But before Punk could move, Julio pulled him in for a soft kiss, one to resolve their stance against Raven. They would have a reason.

Raven was standing beside the SUV, not going anywhere when they caught up with him. "Raven!" Julio called.

"Shit! Where have you guys been?" Raven dropped his bags and hugged each of them in turn. "I looked everywhere for you two and you were gone. Honestly I thought the New Church had somehow grabbed the both of you."

Julio's planned attacked spluttered from him. "What? Huh? Raven what the hell are you talking about?"

CM Punk stepped between the two of them indignantly. "More importantly than that, Raven, you can't break up The Gathering. I'm begging you again Raven, don't do this."

Raven rolled his eyes. "No. Punk, I already told you. There is no more Gathering. You are both free to go do what you want."

"Damn Raven, we don't want to leave you." Julio threw down his bag and grabbed the older man by the shoulders. "I refuse to let you play savior again by sending us away."

"Sending you away?" Raven blinked. "I never… oh." Comprehension visibly hit. "Oh hell no guys." He laughed. "I am not sending you away from me. I'll never do that. I intend to keep the both of you as long as I can."

Julio loosened his grip, "But Raven you,"

"No, no." Raven took a step back and opened the back of the SUV and threw his bags in. "I was thinking about it today and I only wanted to end the Gathering so you didn't have to seem to follow me. I think you should be able to do your own thing. Come save me if you feel like it, but don't if you have something on the plate. I just didn't want to feel like I had any power over what you did. Hell, I went and got Erik to add you two into the tag team battle for the number one contenders for next week." He paused. "That is, unless you two don't want to do that?" He grabbed Punk and Julio's bags and tossed them inside as well. "I thought you two were just being stupid in the ring." He looked over his shoulder and saw them both frozen in place. "What?" He gave a worried grin. "Guys?

Punk's voice shook, but he responded. "Raven, we thought you were sending us away … for good."

Raven's face paled. "Oh no. You two have been out here all this time thinking I was turning you away from 'us'? No, hell no. Never." He stepped close to Punk and peered at his face in the darkness. "Shit, I made you cry. I should be shot." He pressed his lips to where the tears had made their tracks. "I will never leave you like that." Then he walked to Julio. "To you I make the same promise." But before he could act, Julio grabbed him and pushed his desperation and relief into a dominating kiss, one that forced Raven to remember other such kisses made in other places. He needed oxygen. 

"Uh guys?" Punk called them both back to the present. "Its cold out here. Can we leave now?"

"Yeah," Raven said dazed. "And remind me tomorrow to find a partner for my tag match will you?"

Julio watched amazed as he walked off. "Did he just say he was in a tag match without a partner?"

"Yep."

"And he also mentioned signing a match for us already?" Julio asked the blonde.

"Did that too."

The darker man snorted, "I'm going to kill him."

Punk grabbed his arm. "Julio, you can't kill him now."

"Why not?"

There was a decidedly evil smirk. "Cause we haven't had our wicked way with him yet."

"Good point."

A/N: Lyrics Punk is singing is _Rest In Pieces_ by Saliva


	8. Shot 8

Chapter 8

A/N: This series could soon be coming to an end. The way these boys are behaving is making it really hard to keep them in a relationship. It depends on how things continue to go between them. The day Punk and/or Julio turn on Raven, or vice versa, is the day I end this tale. Sadly enough, that day could be soon. The musi are upset and the "happy ending' syndrome is getting difficult. On the plus side, I'm beginning the America's Most Wanted slash. The beta asks for and the beta will receive. This chappie is a little shorter than usual.

The show: CM Punk and Julio were involved in the Tag Team Tournament, which they lost. Raven got beat up by Red Shit (Shirt) Security and was hurt. Instead of choosing Punk or Julio to be his tag team partner for later, Raven chose Sandman. But in getting beat up at the end of the match, Julio and Punk came in to save Raven, and ended up getting smashed themselves.

Disclaimer: Don't own the people or the fued. My only profit is reader response. 

Punk leaned over the console and looked at Raven, who happened to be lying down in the backseat. "I know this is some kind of test Raven. And Julio and I are going to pass."

Raven sighed. This had been the running commentary since he had piled himself into the backseat. Punk and Julio had somehow convinced themselves that he was testing their honor/respect/strength by releasing them from the Gathering. He had thought they'd resolved this last time, but apparently not. "No Punk, I'm not testing you two. Like I said last time, I just think you two should be able to do your own thing and not be looked at like my flunkies."

Julio laughed from behind the steering wheel. "I don't think anyone sees us as your flunkies Raven. The crowd loves us."

"It's not the crowd that concerns me. I'm still worried about The New Church and Vampiro. And now that Jarrett's pissed at me, who knows what he will do. Something like letting you two get beat by those Red Shirts." Raven snickered. "Makes me kinda wish we were in Star Trek."*

Punk snickered, then sighed. "It really did hurt that you chose Sandman over one of us Raven."

"And deal with the fall-out from that?" Raven snorted. "Thanks but no."

Julio tapped the breaks, making Raven roll towards the floorboard. "Excuse me? The fall-out?"

Raven glared at him through the seat while Punk grinned. "Yes the fall-out. Say I had picked one of you and then lost. The other would have bitched and said that he could have won it with me. Both of you had already wrestled and I realize that you could have wrestled again, but you still would have been tired. Plus, I was hurt and couldn't give it my all. I wanted a partner that I didn't have to worry about getting hurt. So I chose someone who didn't make my heart spasm every time they got hit."

"I love you too Raven." Julio said. "But that brings us to say that you shouldn't worry about us getting hurt. We became wrestlers for a reason. Being hurt goes with the territory."

"I know that." Raven sighed. "But that doesn't make it any easier. Regardless of how badass the two of you are, I will still be hurt." He grinned. "What was it you said earlier tonight Punk? 'His pain is my pain'?"

Punk blushed. "Yes, I think that is about what I said."

"I know that is what you said." Julio said, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "You seemed to be talking to me at the time. Not like I didn't agree with you."

It was at that moment that Raven's headache chose to strike again. "Oh shit," he whispered, cause everyone knows that Raven would never whimper with pain. "Julio, how much longer till we get where we are going?"

"About five minutes Raven. Then you can get some rest." Julio tried to see the older man in the rear view mirror. "You going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine." Raven said, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes. 

Punk reached over and touched Julio's arm. "Hey can you pull over for a minute?"

"Sure." Julio replied. "Are _you_ okay?"

The blonde smiled. "Yeah I'm fine. I just need to get something." Julio pulled over on the side of the road and Punk jumped out. He opened to the back of the SUV and grabbed a small black bag. Reaching inside he pulled out a pillbox and a bottle of water. He slid in beside Raven instead of the front seat. "Here." He handed them to Raven and helped him to sit up. "Now I may be StraightEdge, but you aren't. So I got some Tylenol earlier. Take two." Raven did as he was told, then went to lay back down again. Punk moved so that Raven could use his lap as a pillow, instead of his arm. "Drive on, Julio." Punk commanded. "We've got to get the big baby to bed."

"I am not a big baby," Raven pouted purposely.

***~~~***

"Punk, I have got to move my arm." Raven stated.

Punk snorted and snuggled closer. "No you don't. Cause if you move your arm that means you are taking away my pillow. And if you do that, it means I have to move, which means Julio has to move." Punk never opened his eyes. At nine a.m., he thought it was pretty sound logic.

"I agree." Julio murmured from where he was spooning Punk on the other side. "Movement is bad."

Raven looked down at Punk who was curled into his side, using his arm and shoulder in replacement of the pillow he threw off the bed in his sleep. "Punk, my arm is going to sleep."

"Funny that." Punk yawned. "I think you should follow its example. It's a good arm."

"Blondie, your fuzzy, morning logic never ceases to amaze me," Raven smiled.

Julio snorted. "Logic was never his strong point."

"Shut up and go back to sleep, the both of you."

"Okay Punk. Sweet dreams."

"As you wish."**

A/N: * Now I am not a Trekkie, but even I know that the red shirted ensign always dies first.

** Love _The Princess Bride_.


	9. Shot 9

Chapter 9

A/N: The musi are being rather silent. But beta was making fic noises and I caved. This chapter has little to do with the show as it is really hurting me. The fire incident I mention is where The New Church had Julio and Alexis Laree tied up and gagged and kept waving torches in their faces until Raven showed up.

The show so far: For the past two weeks it has been thus – Raven has match. Raven wins. Raven get bum rushed after match. Julio and Punk make save. Raven gets pissy. Aarrg! Tonight is the big match where Raven has agreed to tag with The Gathering this one last time. If the turn is coming, well, I'm scared it will be here.

Julio walked out of the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. "Damnit Punk, I mean it. Next time clean up the dye after you make your hair purple. Next time the dye will permanently set in the shower floor. And we'd probably have to pay for it."

Running an absent hand threw his newly colored hair, Punk responded with a nod as the hand held video game beeped on.

He sighed. "Are you even listening?"

Punk smiled. "Yes." He hit the pause button and crawled across the bed he was on to where Julio stood at the end. He sat up and kissed the dark-headed man. "Clean up my shit when I'm done with it or catch hell from the manager. I got it."

Julio gasped dramatically. "He can be taught."

"But not much." Raven spoke up from the desk chair in the room. He closed his laptop as Punk pouted. "I'm ready to eat. You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me save my game." Punk said, and then got up reaching for his jacket. "You want to dry your hair first Julio?"

"Nah." Julio threw the towel back in the bathroom. "You guys go on without me. I'm not too hungry. Too tired to be hungry," he yawned. "I'm hitting the bed."

Raven walked up to him, frowning a bit. "Are you alright?" Punk even stopped putting on his coat to wait for the answer.

He snorted. "Yeah Raven. I'm ok. Just exhausted."

"Okay." Punk said a little hesitantly. "We should be back soon then."

"Go to bed." Raven spoke quietly and ran his hand down Julio's arm, giving him chill bumps from the caress. "We won't wake you when we get back."

And he was right. Julio never heard them come in that night. He sleept deeply and never noticed Raven pulling the blankets back around him or Punk wrapping an arm around his waist.

***~~~***

Julio knew that Punk was supposed to be in the locker room, but not seeing him didn't bother him. He was around. He started digging threw his bags for that thing he had to have before going to the ring. He heard the door shut behind him and assumed it was Punk. He turned, but no one was there. He shrugged and turned back to his things. 

It was the smell that tipped him off. 

The scent of smoke rolled across the room like a truck. It was just suddenly there, and noticeable. Not like a little hint of smoke, just wham there. He turned and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the flames licking up the door. He screamed something, what it was he didn't know. An unintelligible shout of horror that came from him. He started panicking and turned in a circle only to see no other way out and the flames creeping from the other walls across the floor. He jumped over a bench and pulled Punk's bag from the path of fire only to have his hands get wet. He pulled him close only to smell the gasoline that covered them.

The terror was making it hard to think or breathe at all. He knew Punk was supposed to be around but hadn't seen him at all. Had he been hurt? Was he still here somewhere, unable to remove himself from the fire because he was unconscious? He was looking around and moving things that Punk could possibly be behind. He couldn't find the younger man but knew, just knew, that he was in danger there if Julio didn't find him. 

It was getting hotter and Julio was sweating and scared and some of the water on his face wasn't just sweat but the tears he was crying. There was no way out, he could not find Punk and just where the hell were people? If there was a fire shouldn't someone else see it? But he couldn't follow that thought because the fire was taking his air and getting so much closer and he was backed into a small corner where there were no flames, but that wouldn't be much longer.

"Julio!" 

It was Raven. He was outside and knew Julio was there. "Raven!" he called back. "Help! I can't find Punk and I can't get past the fire and I can't breathe..." he trailed off, gasping. He could feel pressure on his arm and looked to see a cord wrapped around his wrist. He screamed again and tried to pull it off and stop holding him in place. It fell away moments later but the fire was closer. "Raven!" he screamed.

"Julio! Please!"

He opened his eyes. Raven was above him on the bed; holding him from tossing yet again, fear in his eyes. Punk sat beside him, his hand loosely gripping Julio's wrist. Information flooded his mind. It was another nightmare. His loves were safe. He collapsed in silent tears.

Raven pulled Julio's shaking body against his and cradled him to his chest. Punk crawled up and pulled Julio's hair away from his face. "I'll go get some water," he said softly to Raven. 

The older man nodded and began softly crooning to Julio, "It's okay. We're here. You are alright."

Punk came back with a glass and a wet cloth. He wiped of the tears and got Julio to take a sip of the water. It was a routine they had unfortunately fallen into. Julio's nightmares would suddenly return and it would involve a long night of trying to sleep again. The next day Julio would pretend it never happened. And keeping his unspoken request, neither would Raven or Punk.

"I'm sorry," was the husky whisper from Raven's arms. "I'll be okay."

In response, Raven just gripped him tighter and Punk took both Julio's hands in his. "You have nothing to be sorry for Julio." Raven defended. "The only thing we have to be sorry for is that I didn't finish James Mitchell when I had the chance." He growled. "I could hurt him a hundred times over for this."

"I only wish you would have let me get a piece of him." Punk sighed. "Although I was pleased at the amount of blood shed."

Julio felt Raven smile. But nothing alleviated the knot in his chest. "I feel so damn weak."

Raven snorted. "You are not weak, baby. You got through the fire ordeal when it happened and you still get up every morning after one of these nightmares. That makes you so very strong."

"Yeah," Punk added. "Don't think I could ever face the New Church ever again if that happened to me. I know he threw a fireball at me, but I wasn't, well, you know." He shuddered. "I wouldn't have been able to break out of the ropes myself, much less try to fight off Slash and Brian Lee afterwards."

Julio smiled a bit. "I'll never understand why you guys love me."

"Because you are Julio and we do." Raven said, kissing the top of his head.

Punk grinned. "That and the fact that you are hotter than hell."

Julio opened his arms to Punk and he snuggled inside, using Julio's chest as a pillow. It sill took Julio a bit to calm his breathing and heartbeat, but wrapped in Raven's grasp and holding Punk reaffirmed comfort through touch. Punk fell asleep first and Julio, albeit reluctantly, followed. 

Raven stayed awake longer, looking down on both of them. He smiled, amazed again at his fortunes and hoped that the day they'd split would never come. He also hoped a bit that Mitchell just tried to hurt what was his again. It wouldn't come to a match that time, it would still be a beating, but one that no one would ever see or hear about. He snickered and slid into sleep.


	10. Shot 10

Chapter 10

A/N: The musi are still being rather silent. But my mental image of Uber-pissy Protective!Raven was too good to pass up.

The show 12-3-03 (as taken from www.nwatna.com the night after): Punk finally made a hot tag to Raven, who cleaned house on the Red Shirts, while Abyss just watched from the apron. When Abyss finally came in, Raven took him down with a superkick. The match broke down, with Julio bodyblocking the Red Shirts to the floor. Raven DDT'd Abyss, but the referee was watching the fight on the floor. Don Callis came in with a chair, but Raven ran him off. Raven picked up the chair, and Abyss speared it into Raven and got the pin. 

Post-match, Punk and Julio fought off Abyss, then the Red Shirts, but Abyss ran back in and choke-slammed Punk and Julio at the same time. Abyss and the Red Shirts then proceeded to lay a beating on Raven until Punk and Julio came back in with chairs for the save. 

Punk whimpered for the third time and Raven exploded. "If you can't tape that knee up without hurting him more, it's time for you too get a new fucking job!"

Julio took pity on the poor trainer, who looked about ready to piss his pants if Raven made any sudden movements. "Easy Raven, its not his fault Punk got hurt. He's just helping."

Raven glared. "Well see if he can help him without hurting him, huh?"

Punk reached out and grabbed Raven's kilt. "It's okay boss. I'll be fine," he winced slightly, causing Raven to grab Punk's hand in his, "I don't think I need to be able to run really fast if I hit the Red Shirts with a chair hard enough." He sighed. "Just don't know how many shots it will take to put Abyss down."

Raven growled low in his throat. "Don't worry about taking out Abyss yourself Punk. That bitch is mine."

Julio just rolled his eyes. Punk was so manipulative and Raven was so easy. But he stayed quiet. No use in convincing either of them otherwise. He rather liked them like that. "Hey Punker, you don't need to even imagine taking on the Red Shirts alone. I will be more than pleased to assist in teaching them not to hurt you."

"Thanks Julio." Punk looked at him with mischievous eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing to Raven. Julio sighed and let him continue.

He turned back to Raven. "But Rave, you really shouldn't take on Abyss alone. That maniacal bastard is huge. And he thinks nothing of hurting his opponents. As I can attest to."

The trainer stood up. "There it's wrapped now. Nothing serious, but keep it wrapped, keep it elevated tonight and maybe ice it down. I know you won't take any painkillers, but at least take it easy for a day or two. It's going to be sore and walking is going to be pretty painful for a bit." He looked to a hovering Raven and Julio. "But I think your friends here will help." 

Punk winced and shifted to sit up. "They don't have to…" he offered token resistance.

Raven quickly moved to help him. "We will be right there. I won't let him out of the room and he won't have to get out of bed until he needs to. Will he Julio."

It was more of a command than a question, "Yes, Raven."

The trainer walked off and Punk began to hobble towards the door with some assistance. With every step punctuated with a grunt of pain, and the death grip on Julio's hand, he began to doubt just how much was manipulating Raven and how much was actually pain.

Punk seemed to sense Julio's inner conflict. "Walking hurts," he said through gritted teeth. 

Julio understood then. Sitting and not moving hurt very little. But put some pressure on that joint and the pain started anew. He judged the length to their locker room door and made a decision. Stopping the pair, he knelt in front of Punk, facing away. "Time for a piggy back ride Punker."

The younger man laughed, "Julio you can't do that."

"He can and will." Raven seemed to agree. "It's not that far to our room and we can think of a new solution when we leave." Punk complied and they made it to there room without further incident. Raven fussed a bit and wasn't happy till Punk was settled across two benches with his knee propped up with their bags.

"Hey you alright man?" Eric Watts popped his head in the door. "How's the knee?"

"Injured for now but will be okay." Punk replied.

Eric nodded. "Just let me know if you need any time off."

"Actually," Julio interjected before the Director of Authority could leave, "Could you set up a tag match against the Red Shirts for me and Punk?"

"A little revenge?" Eric smiled. "No problem. Give them a good beating for me too. Anything else?"

Raven stepped forward. "Give me Abyss. He also needs to pay for damages and I will take that pound of flesh. I want him to see his own guts by way of me ripping his head from his shoulders and then ramming it down his throat."

Eric paused for a minute while Julio groaned. "Okay Raven. I can do that too." He leaned out the door and called to someone in the hall. "Get Jimmy in here with camera two." He walked back up to Raven and grinned. "Now lets tell him that in a hundred words or less."

***~~~***

Julio had complained of a few bruises and sore muscles and Punk had that knee injury, but it was only after Raven got in the shower at the hotel to examine his own body. Much like Julio, bruises, sore and maybe a little stiffness in his lower back. He thought longingly for a beer or four that used to remove him from the pain. Instead he took some Advil and made his way back to the bedroom.

Punk was already in the middle of the bed, leg propped up on the extra pillow and flipping channels on the TV. He looked up at Raven. "Julio just went to the ice machine for some ice." He chuckled softly. "Remind you of another time?"

Raven looked at him quizzically.

"It was the first time you ever kissed me. I had those bruised ribs and Julio had gone to get ice." Punk grinned. "Good times."

"Yeah." Raven smiled. "But this time Julio doesn't have to leave. Cause I have two of you to play with and protect now."

"And love." Punk interjected.

"Yeah that too." Raven grinned. "And all the two of you get in return is me. Not a really fair exchange I think, but I'm not letting you take it back."

Julio snorted from the doorway. "Good, because I don't think I will take it back." He pulled a handful of ice out of the bucket and reached for a towel on the dresser. "Let's hope this helps." He placed it on Punk's knee and laughed as Punk complained of the cold. "You will get used to it in a minute, Punker."

"But it's cold!" The blonde pouted. "It's making all of me cold." He paused and then looked at his lovers incredulously. "Oh come on, that was a blatant plea for some snuggling affection. So get over here and snuggle affectionately!"

Julio and Raven laughed and moved as he bid. Julio cut off the lights and Raven stole the remote to shut off the TV. They crawled into their sides of the bed and wrapped themselves around Punk. "This better?" Julio asked.

"Much," was the almost purred answer. "See Raven, I knew you'd wrestle with us again."

"I'm not going to anymore." Raven stated, but held Punk a bit tighter.

"And why not?" Julio asked.

Raven sat up a bit and looked at the both of them. "What is my goal at TNA?"

Punk looked confused. "Get the title."

"Right and how am I supposed to do that if I am beating the hell out of everyone who hurts the two of you to get to me?"

"You won't." Julio sighed.

The older man growled slightly. "And since I want to kill every asshole who touches the two of you, I'm getting nowhere. And I want that title."

Punk sighed and pulled Raven back down. "I know and I understand, but that isn't going to stop me from trying to convince you otherwise."

"I never thought it would, baby."

"Poor Raven, so abused." Julio smiled.

Punk pouted. "Hey, abused Punker here. Let's focus on the blonde with the injured knee here okay?"

"Ego much?"

"Hush Raven. Just cuddle."


	11. Shot 11

Chapter 10

The show 12/10/2003 (as taken from www.nwatna.com): CM Punk and Julio Dinero were shown in a pre-taped interview, saying they were sure that Raven had their back, just like they had Raven's back. 

CM Punk & Julio Dinero def. Red Shirts Kevin Northcutt & Legend and Raven beat Abyss. Then challenged them to a cage match. The cage match happened 12/17/2003. To put is bluntly: Punk and Julio turned on Raven. 

Raven smiled. "Gee Punk? How did you miss your mouth?"

"That isn't funny, Raven." Punk glared as the water from his bottle ran down his shirt. He'd missed and now looked like part of a wet T-shirt contest. 

"Actually," Raven snickered. "A wet CM Punk is kinda hot."

Punk smiled. "Oh really?" He pouted. "Well its still not nice and as punishment I am going to look for Julio." He headed towards the door.

The older man sighed and nodded. Julio had been missing for a little while. Sending Punk to hunt him down was probably not the best of ideas, but would keep them both busy till the cage match. Once more Raven wondered if he should do this. He wanted this match to end his fued with the Red Shirts and Abyss, but it but the men he loved directly into the line of fire. He winced; okay fire wasn't the best choice in wording. But a blood bath match put them in danger nonetheless. Lots of danger.

***~~~***

             Punk frowned as he rounded the hallway to the offices. He was still trying to wring the water out of his shirt and hadn't found Julio. Suddenly, Don Callis was in front of him. He snarled and started to run his mouth, but was cut off.

            "Just the person I was looking for." Callis smiled.

"Hell no Callis. Find someone else." He started to walk off.

Callis laughed. "Julio's in my office. You might want to accompany me there. Your precious Raven could be in more trouble if you don't." Punk blanched as Callis leered at him. "Oh, don't think for a second I don't know about the three of you. Fucking each other in the hotel room. I think it would be beneficial to keep that information secret, don't you?" He glared. "My office. Now."

Punk went, and as he opened the door he saw Julio. His lover was shaking with anger and had tears in his eyes. This was looking to be so not good,

***~~~***

Raven was pacing the locker room when Punk and Julio returned. He took one look at them and lost all anger. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Punk sighed, looking away.

"Bullshit." Raven grabbed Julio's arm. "What happened?"

Punk snapped. "We ran into Calllis okay? Let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant meeting."

Raven growled. "What did he say?"

Julio reached out and touched Raven's chest gently. "Just the usual crap. Kinda got us down. Relax Raven. We've done the promo and will be going out soon."

"Fine. Don't tell me." Raven laughed. "I'm sure it will be worth it too see the smirk wiped off his face when we win and I get the title."

"Hey Raven," Punk stood in front of him, suddenly very serious. "You know we both love you right?"

Raven nodded. "I love you guys too." He grinned. "It feels so strange to say that, but I do."

Punk closed his eyes and put his hands on either side of Raven's face as Julio's arms wrapped around him from behind and Julio nuzzled his neck. "We do love you Raven." Julio muttered.

"Uh, guys?" Raven asked. "What's up?"

Punk kissed him softly. "Just making sure you know we love you."

"Be careful out there, Raven." Julio added with a squeeze.

"Yeah." Raven grinned evilly. "Lets go kick some big fat ass!" He pulled out of their grasp and walked out the door.

Punk and Julio shared a look. "Fuck," the younger one said, biting his lip.

"I know." Julio pulled him into a quick hug. "I know." Then they followed Raven out.

***~~~***

Julio passed Raven and saw him smile. The match was going so well. An how he hated it. Seconds later, he felt a hit to his head and the next thing he knew was that he was really high up on a table, and his body wasn't responding.

Suddenly Raven was beside him, in pain, but holding his arm. He saw Legend fall beside him and realized he was about to have been compost if it hadn't been for Punk, who pushed Legend off and Raven, who stood ready to yank him off the table. It was Raven who pulled him down after that. Almost in a cradle position, then let him slide to the floor. The older man grinned and made sure Julio was all right before running back into the fray. Julio wished they had let Legend slam into him. Unconscious would be a good place to be right now.

In a few minutes it would be over. He spared a moment to curse Don Callis and Jeff Jarrett again, then fought his way to Punk's side. The look on the blondes face said it all, they had to do it soon or he was going to break.

After handcuffing the Red Shirts to the ropes and giving them a double chair shot, Julio turned to look at Punk. Raven stood between them, ready to give Abyss the Evenflow DDT. A glance and it was agreed. They lifted the chairs and nailed Raven.

Julio and Punk walked out of the ring. Jeering at Raven and the fans. They joined Jeff Jarrett and Callis Co. and proceeded to be utter asses.

Julio looked back at Raven before they walked through the curtain and felt his heart shatter. Raven looked … Raven didn't look so good. Punk made a small whimper and headed through the curtain. As soon as Julio passed in, Punk grabbed him in a hug and began to shake.

"Very well done boys." Callis said, clapping a fuming Julio on the arm. "Let's go to my office."

They silently followed.

***~~~***

Raven sat in the ring, head in his hands. He couldn't believe it. They had… they had…. He couldn't even think it.

Betrayed.

Again.

***~~~***

"What do you mean this is all we get?" Julio thundered.

Punk kicked the table. "You promised us his contract!"

Don Callis smiled mockingly. "Now if I was to hand over Raven's contract, what's to stop you from going and telling him what you did? You gave your word to turn on him so I wouldn't tear up his contract and kick him out. I never said I'd give you his contract."

Punk howled. "You said you'd let him keep his job if we turned on him. We did. So we want to make sure you don't go back on your word."

"Oh I won't." Callis frowned. "But that doesn't mean it will stay that way. As long as you two are against him, he stays in the company."

Julio began shaking again. This was never how he thought it would be. "If you keep the contract, what's to keep us from telling him anyway?"

"The fact that he will be out of a job and labeled as a guy who fucks his allies."

Punk cringed. "Fuck you Callis."

Callis laughed. "I think Raven fucked you out already CM Punk."

Julio nearly went over the desk, but Callis held his hands up, stopping him. "What if I gave you a copy," Callis negotiated. "That way you get to hold a part of his safety in your hands. If I fire him, you can attempt to use it to get him back in."

Punk sighed. "That is the best offer we are going to get isn't it?"

"I'd say so," Callis nodded. "You saved your lover's career." He said with scorn.

Punk grabbed the copy of Raven's contract. "See you January 7. Lets go Julio." He walked out, less like Punk than he had ever been. Julio glared one last time at Callis, and followed. 

They got back to Julio's rental and saw Raven's car still in the lot. "Let's go back to the hotel and get our things. He isn't going to want to see us." Julio said quietly.

Punk nodded and they drove off to the sound of his heartbroken sobs.

***~~~***

Raven walked into a dark hotel room. Once in which they had just shared hours ago. The bed was still messed up from their morning. But, all the things that had belonged to Julio and Punk were gone. He quickly moved to the phone to call for a new room. On the table was a piece of paper and on top of that, Punk's plastic ring he got out of the quarter machine, just a few weeks ago and Julio's leather bracelet that Raven and Punk kept stealing to wear themselves.

His eyes misted over as he picked up the items and held them. The piece of paper he held up to the light. He frowned. What the hell was a copy of his contract doing in this room? With Punk and Julio's things on it? A thousand excuses ran through his mind, but settled on none. The tears he had tried to ignore came rolling down. He slid the ring on, and snapped the bracelet around his wrist. He lay back on the bed and reached across for the mini-bar. Getting a room with one while Punk was there didn't matter, but now, the cold comfort of alcohol was all he had.

It's all he started with.

A/N: So guys, thanks for the ride, this is the last chapter. Unless they get over this crap and they get back together. This sucked to write as much as it sucked to see. I very much hope that someday I can make this happy, but for now, I can't. Drug of Choice has been fun and it hurt to do this. I should have a Christmas and New Years specials for the boys, just forgetting this whole thing never happened. We shall see.


End file.
